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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O.8

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treatment, without being absolutely pessimistic, I should say that it was of very little value. This, I think, is, to a large extent, borne out by my cases as reported."

Of course, the time at my disposal, the small number of cases, my lack of control of these cases, and the want of a suitable isolation camp with intelligent attendants, will not entitle me to make an assertive statement one way or the other.

And I really think that it is waste of a doctor's time to remain there unless a suitable hospital be built, and some power given to him by which he can retain the patients after the native doctor has pronounced them cured.

As directed I am bringing home samples of the plants used in native treatment. I am also bringing home a collection of flies-tsetse, &c.

Enclosure 2 in No. 44.

The PRINCIPAL MEDICAL OFFICER to the SECRETARY TO THE ÁDMINISTRATION.

July 11, 1907.

I forward herewith Dr. McGahey's report on his. investigation of a native treatment of sleeping sickness, to which attention was called by the Resident, Nassarawa, in a report which was sent to the Secretary of State in December, 1906.

Dr. McGahey was three months at Sokoto, and had under observation 12 reputed eases of the disease which were under treatment during that time. The results are disappointing, one case only out of the nine patients who were actually suffering from sleeping sickness showing any signs of improvement, and as a marked feature of the disease is its tendency to apparent recovery with eventual relapse it is not of much value as evidence in favour of the native remedies.

On the other hand three cases died, and of those remaining four showed no signs of improvement after a prolonged course of treatment.

Three of the patients under treatment were not suffering from sleeping sickness at all, and it is probable that, like the cancer curer at home, the native medicine man has built up his reputation to a considerable extent on the cure of cases of sleeping sickness which were not examples of that disease, his diagnosis being made by the presence of one symptom-enlarged cervical glands-which is common to many other morbid conditions.

38319

No. 45. RHODESIA.

S. W. THOMPSTONE, Principal Medical Officer.

THE LIVERPOOL SCHOOL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE to COLONIAL

OFFICE.

(Received October 31, 1907.)

[Acknowledged November 6, 1907.]

B 10, Exchange Buildings, Liverpool, October 30, 1907. Zambesi Sleeping Sickness Expedition of Liverpool School of Tropical

Medicine.

SIR,

I BEG to enclose copy of letter, which is somewhat in the nature of a report. received from the Sleeping Sickness Expedition of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, which went to Rhodesia in May last.

119

Thave not as yet seen anywhere the conditions mentioned in it as peculiarly favouring the presence of Glossina palpalis. In general the country is covered with rather thin, scrubby bush, which at this time of the year affords absolutely no shade. Then, again, the water is almost altogether confined to the main rivers and their biggest affluents. On the small portion of the Luangwa which I have seen there were no palpalis as far as I could discover. This river has well-defined banks, but the vegetation is not very dense nor does it afford much more shelter than the country farther back. The foreshore, composed of sandy reaches varying in width from a few yards to a hundred or so, has no vegetation other than long stretches of canes. Up here on the plateau the small streams run through the small, open plains which break the continuity of the bush, and as these are only covered with short grass, they may be considered as being safe so far as Glossina palpalis is concerned.

With regard to tsetses, I have found them in the Luangwa Valley, at one spot in the Machinga Mountains, on the road from Broken Hill to Fort Jameson, and near Sasau Mine. They all appear to be Glossina morsitans. The general opinion throughout the country is that they are rapidly extending. If sleeping sickness can be transmitted by this species the danger of a more or less general infection of the country is very great.

I think that the question of what flies are capable of carrying the disease from person to person is about the most important that has to be settled. If it can be shown that Glossina palpalis is the only one capable of infecting, the work of checking the spread of the disease will be very greatly simplified, and will afford a much more reasonable hope of success than if several species are implicated. The money spent in deciding this point would be repaid many times over in the saving which would result were Glossina palpalis only to be considered.

As regards the disease, I have met with no suspicious cases yet. A certain percentage of the natives have a slight enlargement of the neck glands, but this is very slight a few glands, very small and very hard. I have not seen a case of general glandular enlargement. This enlargement is met with more frequently in children and tends to disappear as adult age is reached.

The two sources from which the disease may be expected to enter the country are from the Congo across the Luapula, and again at the south end of Lake Tanganyika. From reports which have recently come from this district, the disease is endemic in Belgian territory near the boundary, and as the people communicate freely there is danger of cases being imported. Glossina palpalis is also present on the German side of the lake, but whether the disease is there also is not known. In order to exercise surveillance over these two districts it would be necessary for the British South Africa Company to increase their medical staff here. There are at present only two doctors, one of them being confined to Fort Jameson by the duties of Principal Medical Officer and by the large white population there.

At present the country is singularly free from insect pests. I have seen only three or four mosquitoes since getting here, and have heard them only about half a dozen times. Ticks and other biting insects appear to be absent, though I believe they are very plentiful in the rainy season. The tick which spreads "tick fever is common in the villages, and in these I have also got floor maggots.

"

From here I propose going to the Luapula, where I shall probably work for some time. The part below Madona has never been thoroughly searched for fly and sleeping sickness, and I think this ought to be done. I expect to meet Montgomery at Madona about the end of October.

Yours, &c.,

ALLAN KINGHORN.

1

45004

No. 46.

18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

DEAR MR. MILNE,

sent.

THE LIVERPOOL SCHOOL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE.

Expedition to the Zambesi, 1907.

Serenje, August 30, 1907.

I RECEIVED. the report on the sleeping sickness work in Uganda which you

NORTHERN NIGERIA.

THE HIGH COMMISSIONER to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received December 27, 1907.)

(Confidential.)

MY LORD,

Choiwa Angulu, November 16, 1907.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your Lordship's confidential

I am, &c.,

A. H. MILNE.

Enclosure in No. 45.